Folding container



Oc't. 28; 1930. Y E. A. LEE 1,780,137

FOLDING CONTAINER Filed sept. 6.1929

ry, ATToRrTYs.

Patented Oct. 28,` 1930 unirse EIDVVIN` A. LEE, OF BHILADELPHKIA, PENNSYLVANIA FOLDING CONTAINER i 'Application filed september-'51929. semina. 390,705.

My invention relates to la new and useful folding container, particularly. adapted for holding, transporting and displaying delicateA fabrics or articles, such as stockings,

scarfs or the like, in av neat fold-ed condition, while such articles are being shipped or while such articles are on display.

My invention further relates to a novel folding container of this character, one Aflap or wall of which is made in the forni of a business .reply card,the postage on the .return of whichis paid by the sender upon the return of said card, thereby encouraging and facilitating the Inail `order business and avoiding the payment .of postage on cards which are not ultimately. used or returned to the sender.

My invention still `.further relates to a novel folding container of this general character which is provided with means for'loclring the same to prevent .the accidentalor .une

intended, opening of said container when in transit .or'storage My invention still further relates to a novel folding container, `whereby ythe character, texture, color and quality of the. goods may be palpably or visually .ascertained from .the exterior of the container and without unfolding or opening said container.

To the above ends, my invention consists of a novel folding container formed of a blank having a body portion, relatively long end flaps adapted tofold over said kbody por.-rv tion, tabs on the end of one of said flaps, side y lflaps adapted to fold over said body and hav.-

ing slots thereinadapted to engage said tabs when said` blank is folded, the other of said end flaps having a portiony thereof formed into a business reply return ypostal card, and

an extension on one of said side iaps forining memorandum ofthe transaction.

My invention further consists of various novel features f of construction and advantage, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

For the purpose of illustrating iny invention I have shown in the accompanying drawings one forni thereof which is at present preferred by Ine, since the saine has been 502 found in practice to give satisfactoryand reliable resultspalthough it is to be understood thatthe variousy instrunientalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized andv that iny invention is notlirnitedto the precise arrangement and 55 organization of the instrunientalit-ies ashore.- in shown: anddescribed. f i Referring tothe drawings Figure 1,represents aplan view ofa ,novel blanlrfroin whichiny `folding container is oo formed. f Figure 2, representsa plan view showing the 'manner of folding the blank shown =i1n Fig. l to'forni my novel container.

Figure 3, .represents a plan view similar V to Fig. 2 further illustrating the inanner of folding ythe blank, shown in Fig. l'. Figure 4, represents a view showing my novel folding container which is provided :by completely rfolding the -fblanlr shown in'Fig. '1. 7e Referring to ythe drawings, in which like y'reference characters indicate like parts, il

designates a blank from which .my novel folding container iis formed, and Whichconi7 prises the Ibody portion 2 having the side flaps 75 3 and 4l which are adaptedto' fold .over the body portion 2 along the creases Vor scorin-gs 5. The flap il is slightly wider thanx-the flap 3 and is provided with the extension 6 which is foldable over said Hap along the creaseor S0 scoring 7 as will be understood from ig. l2. The extension 6 bears on itsouter surface the necessary information 8 which constitutes a record Iof the purchasers naine and ,address and the classes of goods purchased so that S5 the sellerinay again approach said customer by direct mail advertising. rlhe body por.-v tion 2 is also provided with the end flaps 9 and l0, which are adapted to vfold .inwardly over ythe body portion 2 along :thelcreases Ior 90 scorings l1 and l2, `fas will bey understood from Fig.l 3. The end flap ll0 is divided into a postal sbusiness replycard 13 and a strip lll, separated -frorn the Vcard 1'3 by ,the crease l5 along which said strip and said Vcard .may 95 be detached, from eac-h other. The card 13 bears onione facethereoffan order .blank 16 whichisfilled in by the purchasers, and-ion the other face thereof, is printedthe address to which the card is to be mailed asatilf. The ly card 13 is provided with a permit number and needs no stamps, the postage being paid by the sender of the card after the card is returned to him by the purchaser, thus reducing the payment of postage to cards actually returned by purchasers which usually carry an order involving profit. The strip 14 adjacent the card 13 carries the necessary instructions 18 for dctaching and mailing the card 13 to encourage and facilitate mail order business. The end flap 9 is provided with tabs 19 which engage slots 20 when the blank is in folded condition, as will be understood from Figs. 3 and 4. The body portion 2'is provided with a suitable slot 21 through which the color, quality, texture and character of the goods in the container may be ascertained without unfolding or opening the container, said slot if desired having the contour of the goods vended as for example hosiery in the present instance. yIf desired a transparent cover sheet may be placed over the slot 21 to protect the goods in the container from manipulation by customers and from dust and dirt, the use of said cover sheet being optional.

In folding my container', after a pair of stockings or the like has been placed on the body portion 2, the post card 13 and strip 14 are first folded inwardly along the crease 12. The narrow side Hap 3 is then folded inwardl along the adjacent scoring and the wide flap 4 with the extension 6 folded inwardly thereon along the scoring 7, is then folded over `the body portion 2, post card 13-and strip 1.4 land' narrow side flap 3, along the adjacent scoring 5, whereupon the end flap 9 is folded inwardly along the scoring 11 and the tabs 19 are engaged by the slots 20 to maintain the container folded and closed Y as will be understood from Fig. 4. It is to be understood that the tabs 19 may be provided With tongues or catches (not shown) to prevent their accidental disengagement from the slots 2O and that any, number of tabs 19 and slots 20 located at any suitable point may be used.

It will thus be seen'that I have devised a novel folding container which is securely closed, which permits the inspection of the goods contained therein, from without, and which includes a business reply postal card the postage upon which `is payable by the original sender of the card or the seller of the merchandise, whereby mail order business ris greatly facilitated and encouraged.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes n thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respect as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A blank of the character stated for forming a folding container, comprising a body portion having a slot therein, a relatively narrow side flap for, and foldable inwardly over, said body portion, an opposite relatively wide side flap for, and foldable inwardly over, said body portion, an end extension on one end of, and foldable inwardly over, said wide side Hap, an end flap for, and foldable inwardly over, said body portion, said end flap comprising a detachable business reply card, an opposite end flap for and foldable inwardly over said body portion and a plurality of tabs on the free end of said end flap, there being uXtaposed slots in said side flaps, adapted to engage said tabs, when said blank is in folded condition.

2. A blank of the character stated for forming a folding container, comprising a body portion having an inspection slot therein, a relatively narrow side flap for, and foldable inwardly over, said body portion, an opposite, relatively wide side fiap for, and foldable inwardly over, saidibody portion, a detachable extension on one end of, and inwardly foldable over said wide side flap, a relatively short end Hap for and foldable inwardly over said body portion, said end flap comprising a detachable business reply card and an adjacent instruction non-detachable strip, a relatively long opposite end flap for, and foldable inwardly over, said body portion, and a plurality of tabs on the end of said end flap, there being juxtaposed slots in the ends of said side flaps adapted to engage said tabs when said blank is in folded condition.

3. A folding container of the character stated, comprising a body portion, a relatively kshort end flap forming a detachable business reply card, folded inwardly over said body portion, a relatively narrow side flap having a slot therein and folded inwardly over said body portion and said card, an opposite relatively wide slotted side fia having a foldable end extension, and fol ed over said body portion, said card and said narrow side flap, and a. relatively long end flap folded over said body portion, card and side flaps, and tabs on the end of said long end flap adapted to engage the slots in said side flaps to retain said container in the closed folded condition.

f EDWIN A. LEE. 

